WIND WS
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T H E
L I T T L E
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H O U S E
Fall 2009 | Volume III, Number 1
It’s What’s
It’s What’s
Behind the Door
Behind
the Door
I
Big Plans. Big Hearts.
The Little Red House.
Nothing happens
unless first a dream
– Carl Sandburg (1878–1967)
“Washington Monument by Night”
t all began with a dream. A handful
of people envisioned an adult
daycare facility in Spring Lake; a place
that would allow their loved ones to
gracefully “age in place.” Their vision
and determination resulted in the
launch of an adult daycare program in
September 2000 three days a week at
Christ Community Church. Several
months later, the organization moved
into the “little red house” on
Exchange Street and The Little Red
House was born.
The Little Red House reached its
final phase of independence on
July 27, 2009 when Board Members
Dave Eagin and Bruce Baker signed the
closing documents with the help of
local atorney Phil Sielski to purchase
the property and building from Christ
Community Church. In less than a
decade, The Little Red House has
grown from debt and obscurity to a
highly respected and financially sound
organization.
“When I was hired in 2005, the
thought of owning the property and
the house was a dream,” said Jody
Herrelko, Executive Director. “I am
humbled and amazed at the generosity
of the people in this community who
helped make that dream a reality. It is
exciting to think about all the
possibilities we have now.”
This accomplishment is allowing us
to change our focus from acquiring
the house and property to improving
and expanding the facility and our
services. The exciting milestone and
subsequent shift to planning for the
future is the subject of a new
campaign featuring
The Little Red
a door that
House will
resembles the green
always be a
front door of The
welcoming,
Little Red House.
caring place for
The campaign
aging adults…
slogan, “It’s What’s
Behind the Door” is intended to
reassure caregivers, participants,
donors and other loyal supporters that
our mission will not change and that
no matter what physical changes
might be made to the building, we will
always be a welcoming, caring place
for aging adults.
While there are no specific plans in
place for expansion, Jody Herrelko
noted that participation continues to
grow. In one recent week, we
welcomed four new participants. The
increased demand for adult daycare
services reflects the growing
population of aging adults who require
assistance throughout the day but who
do not need the type of 24-hour care
provided by a nursing home.
The Green Door campaign includes
the tagline, “Big Plans. Big Hearts. The
Little Red House.” This tagline is both
(CONTINUES ON BACK COVER)
View from
My Window
by Jody Herrelko, Executive Director
As I look out
my window at
the ripening
tomatoes in
the garden
and the blackeyed susans
bobbing in breeze, I can’t help
but think, “This is all ours. We
own this place.” Somehow, the
satisfaction of owning the house
and property makes even the
little things more precious to me.
But nothing is more precious to
me than the tremendous
supporters that made ownership
a reality. First and foremost, I
must thank the board for their
dedicated service and
commitment.
I would also like to thank the
Greater Ottawa County United
Way for their continued support.
The funds we receive from the
United Way provide scholarships
for participants and help to
defray the costs of maintaining
and operating our bus. Despite
the difficult economy that we
continue to endure, the United
Way was able to maintain the
same funding level for us as last
year. I am deeply appreciative for
their support.
A very special thank you
should be extended to Dan and
Kathy Babcock for hosting a
private fundraising event on our
behalf. The event raised more
than $70,000 and was a giant
leap forward in our quest to
purchase the house and property.
Stay tuned for news about The
Little Red House in the coming
months. No matter what we do
to the physical structure of the
building, our spirit and service
will always be the same because
it’s about “what’s behind the
green door.”
WEST MICHIGAN BANJO CLUB
Window on Our Community
Demonstrating its role as a key member of the community, The
Little Red House played host to two notable community events.
■ On May 31, 2009 Jody Herrelko, Executive Director of The Little Red House Adult
Day Care Center in Spring Lake, shared its story with a group of fifth grade Girl
Scouts at Spring Lake Intermediate School. The scouts, led by the mother and
daughter team of Candi Gajdos and Donna Drake, were working towards their
“Junior Bronze Award”. This award, the highest honor a Junior
Girl Scout can achieve, requires the scouts to learn the
leadership and planning skills necessary to follow through on
a project that makes a positive impact on the community. The
message Jody Herrelko conveyed to the scouts is to
demonstrate leadership in the community through volunteerism. She stressed the
need for volunteers at The Little Red House, stating, “We would not exist without
our volunteers.”
The following day, the girls spent several hours volunteering with us. They
participated in dance therapy and played word games with the seniors. While this
volunteer time fulfilled the final requirement in their pursuit of the Bronze Award,
it was just the beginning of a lifetime of community service and volunteerism for
the group of Girl Scouts.
■ Two weeks later on June 17,
we hosted our third annual Ice
Cream Social in conjunction
with Senior Day at the Spring
Lake Heritage Festival. The
event featured the West
Michigan Banjo Club and ice
cream donated by Sweet
Temptations. Under sunny
skies and a yellow canopy,
more than 175 people enjoyed
music in our backyard and ice cream served by student volunteers from Spring Lake
High School and Grand Valley State University.
We began hosting the ice cream social in 2007 as a way to thank and
acknowledge community members for their support of the organization. The first
gathering was met with such outstanding enthusiasm that it has become an
annual event.
W I N D O W O N S TA F F & S E R V I C E S
Support Groups: Preventing
Caregiver Burnout
Caring for an aging parent, spouse or other family member presents
difficult challenges. In many cases caregivers are still raising children
or are facing their own health problems when they are suddenly
thrust into the role of parenting a parent. The stress of these
circumstances can often lead to depression, isolation and physical
illness. Caregiver support groups provide an opportunity to connect with others
who are experiencing similar circumstances.
Since its inception, The Little Red House Caregiver Support Group has provided
many caregivers with a forum to vent their fears and frustrations, learn from others
who share similar circumstances and to develop plans to manage their complex life
situations. Mirroring a national trend of increasing numbers of male caregivers, The
Little Red House Caregiver Support Group is split evenly between male and female
participation, averaging about nine people each week.
“We spend a lot of time talking about guilt,” said Jim Powers, ASCW, facilitator
of the group. “Often caregivers feel angry about their circumstances which causes
feelings of guilt; or they feel guilty because they think they aren’t doing enough for
their loved one.” Powers teaches participants how to reframe their thinking to
minimize the feelings of guilt and to acknowledge their own goodness and value.
As a former clinical social work therapist at the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs, Powers is particularly skilled at helping people access local social services as
well as assisting in the qualification process for veterans’ benefits.
The Little Red House Caregiver Support Group meets every Thursday at 11:00 am
at Christ Community Church. All members of the community are welcome to
attend. For more information please call 846-5720.
IN MEMORIUM
Staff and participants at The Little
Red House were saddened at the
passing of Snickers, a beloved
therapy dog, in February 2009.
The 13-year old black shih-tzu had
been coming to The Little Red House
for more than six years with owner,
Charlie Edwards. Snickers was known for her gentle
nature and her genuine desire to be with people.
“She had a knack for knowing who was sick or injured
and gravitated to them,” Charlie explained. “Dogs seem to have a sense
people don’t have that tells them when somebody needs extra attention.”
Shortly after his retirement in mid-2002, Charlie searched for a volunteer
opportunity to fill his time that could include his pet and companion,
Snickers. Charlie contacted Therapy Dogs International and completed a
training and certification program with Snickers.
Charlie has recently begun bringing his mother-in-law’s shih-tzu, T.P.
(short for Tiny Panda) to The Little Red House as a therapy dog. “He will
never replace Snickers,” Charlie said, “but he does bring smiles and kind
words from people who normally won’t speak to anyone.”
10 Signs of
Caregiver Stress
Denial about the disease and its
effect on the person who’s been
diagnosed
“I know Mom is going to get better.”
Anger at the person with
Alzheimer’s or others, anger that
no cure exists or anger that
people don’t understand what’s
going on
“If he asks me that question one
more time I’ll scream!”
Social withdrawal from friends
and activities that once brought
pleasure
“I don’t care about getting together
with the neighbors anymore.”
Anxiety about facing another day
and what the future holds
“What happens when he needs more
care than I can provide?”
Depression that begins to break
your spirit and affects your ability
to cope
“I don’t care anymore.”
Exhaustion that makes is nearly
impossible to complete necessary
daily tasks
“I’m too tired for this.”
Sleeplessness caused by a
never-ending list of concerns
“What if she wanders out of the
house or falls and hurts herself?”
Irritability that leads to
moodiness and triggers negative
responses and actions
“Leave me alone!”
Lack of concentration that
makes it difficult to perform
familiar tasks
“I was so busy, I forgot we had an
appointment.”
Health problems that begin to
take their toll, both mentally
and physically
“I can’t remember the last time I
felt good.”
If you experience any of these
signs of stress on a regular basis,
make time to talk to your doctor.
Information provided by The Alzheimer’s
Association, www.alz.org
N ON P R OF I T OR G
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nancy Ritchie
Bruce Baker
Lori DeMars-Olthoff
Rick VanSwol, CPA
US POSTAGE
PAI D
President
HOLLAND, MI
PERMIT NO.270
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
311 East Exchange St.
Spring Lake, MI 49456
Dave Eagin
Amy Florea
Doug Heins
Marney Kloote
Sarah McDonald
Gary Sherwood
Sherrie Tamburello, MD
Tammy Zyniewicz, RN
STAFF
Jody Herrelko
Joan Wills-Birch
Chris Schuh, RN
Executive Director
Carrie Huyser
James Obertello, Jr.
Courtney McClellan
Renee Griebe
Jerry Foster
Ken Gleason
Joe Feuerborn
Direct Care Assistant
Jim Powers
ACSW, Caregiver
Support Group
Cathy Weideman
Movement Therapist
Operations Manager
Nursing Director
CNA
CNA
CNA
CNA
Transportation
Transportation
COVER STORY (CONTINUED)
an acknowledgement
and appeal to our
supporters. It reflects
deep appreciation for
the supporters whose
generosity has propelled us into
our second decade of service in a
building and property that the
organization owns without debt.
The campaign is also an appeal
for renewed support as we grow
to meet the needs of the
community. In the coming
months the board and staff will
work together to develop their
vision for the future of The Little
Red House.
With help from loyal
supporters this exciting new
phase will allow even more
residents of northern Ottawa and
southern Muskegon counties to
learn that “It’s What’s Behind the
Door” that counts.
MISION: Our mission is to provide exceptional adult day care in a home-like,
safe and welcoming setting with activities provided by professional and
compassionate staff.
Serving northern
Ottawa and southern
Muskegon Counties
since 2000
VISION: We will provide adult day care programs, based on best
professional practice, that are continually responsive to the needs of the
communities we serve.
(616) 846-5720 | www.thelittleredhouse.org
Now accepting
donations online!
WIND WS
Extreme Makeover It’s impossible not to notice the change to our
newsletter. We hope you like the changes and find it easier to read. Our
“Windows” masthead on the front page has been updated so that we can change
the outdoor setting behind the window pane based on the season in which we
print. Also, in our continuous quest to save dollars and find the best value, we
were happy to learn that we could print our newsletter in full color for the same
price we were paying for a two-color version. We always welcome your
comments and suggestions for improvement.
Many Thanks
The Little Red House would like to thank and
acknowledge Jim Dykstra, owner and president of Dykstra Landscape
Services in Grand Haven, who has donated his time and resources to
maintain The Little Red House property this year. Every Friday without fail a
crew arrives to cut the lawn. Generous community partners like Jim Dykstra
play a large role in the success of The Little Red House.